Road Transport Topics
Page 30
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in Parliament
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
UNEMPLOYMENT CAUSED BY ELIMINATION OF HORSES.
REFERRING to Mr. Hore-Belisha's recent observations on the desirability of abolishing horse traffic, Mr. Logan, one of the Liverpool Members, reminded the Minister that, if his policy of minimizing horse traction were carried out, 4,000 to 5,000 carters in Liverpool would become unemployed.
Mr. Hore-Belisha replied that slow horse traffic on important streets slowed dowr faster traffic and added
to congestion. The regulations restricting the use of Oxford Street by slow vehicles had facilitated the movements of motors in that street, without imposing undue hardship.
He was communicating with the larger users of horse transport in London, and would take into consideration their views as to the posSibility of restricting other streets and their intention to accelerate voluntarily 'the substitution of motor for horse vehicles.
He was further inquiring from them whether they might find it practicable to effect the necessary change-over in the course of the next three years. With regard to other large cities, he was prepared to consider any proposal which might be put before him.
ANXIETY CONCERNING LIVERPOOL DOCKSIDE TRAFFIC.
JAR. LOGAN said the definite statealment made by the Minister might cause great perturbation in Liverpool if he did not give some assurance that there would be no interference with the traffic necessary on the dockside.
Mr. Hare-Belisha stated that, if any particular condition applied to Liverpool, it would be taken into account. He would consider the representations of the local corporations.
Mr. Logan expressed the opinion that the Minister's remarks were reassuring in view of the observations of the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool and the Chief Constable of Liverpool.
Sir P. Harris hoped the Minister would try to persuade employers to retain the horse drivers for the new
form of conveyance. Mr. BoreBelisha assured him he would certainly take steps to avoid hardship.
INCREASED GRANTS FOR TRUNK ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.
THE Minister of Transport announced that, with the approval of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he was prepared to make grants, at rates in excess of the normal, for the improvement of trunk roads, and, where circumstances warranted, the provision of dual carriageways and cycle tracks. For trunk roads the existing flat rate
is24 of 60 per cent. of Class I roads would be increased and the new rates would range from 75 per cent. to 85 per cent.
The rates of dual carriageways and cycle tracks would range from 60 per cent. to 75 per cent. The council of each county or county borough would be informed at once of the rates which would be available for these works in its area. He hoped that this additional assistance which the Government had decided to offer would enable highway authorities to put in hand a substantial volume of useful work of this character as part of their five-year programmes.
INFORMATION DESIRED ON UNION CARTAGE CASE.
MR. THORNE asked the Minister if' he could give any information with regard to the summonses brought against the Union Cartage Co., Ltd., West Smithfield, by the Traffic Commissioner for breaches of the Road Traffic Act, which were dismissed, costs being awarded against the Traffic Commissioner, and if he had received a report from the Commissioner with regard to the remarks made at the hearing by Sir Phene Neal, the chairman of the Justices at the Guildhall.
Captain Hudson, Parliamentary Secretary, said he did not think he could properly comment upon these proceedings. The Traffic Commissioners were an independent body set up by Parliament.
COUNTRY OPPOSED TO PROHIBITION.
DF,FORE the summer adjournment, I.JMr. Isaac Foot called attention to the publication in the British Medical Journal of the report of the Committee appointed by the British Medical Association at the request of ' the Minister of Transport to consider the subject of alcohol and road safety. He submitted that the report should be given wide publicity by the Government.
Its importance, he thought, largely lay in the attention drawn to the effect of small quantities of alcohol. No one could read it without appreciating the direct, immediate and substantial asso'elation between the use of alcohol and the safety of people on the roads, and any attempt to deal with road danger which ignored this evidence was bound to be inadequate.
Captain Hudson drew attention to the following reference to alcohol_ in the Highway Code:—" Before using the road be sure that your alertness or sense of caution is not affected by alcohol or fatigue." The Code, he continued, had a circulation of .13,500,000 and was being widely read. Furthermore, reprints of the report in the British Medical Journal could be obtained on application, whilst nearly every newspaper had published an article on the subject.
He thought the most important sentence in the report was the last one, which stated that after taking alcohol a driver might believe himself to be driving better, although actually his body was working less efficiently, this adverse effect generally occurring even if only a little alcohol had been taken some hours earlier, and especially without food.
It had been found, he added, that fatigue was almost as bad a, cause of accidents as alcohol, and he held the view that total prohibition would never commend itself to this country, whilst the report itself suggested no line of action.
DRAFT LIGHTING REGULATION CRITICIZED.
E impossibility of enforcing the
use of a mechanically operated reflector to deflect the beam, as laid down in the new lighting regulations, was pointed out by Mr. Hales. These regulations, said Mr. Hore-Belisha, were advisedly in draft form so that advantage, might be taken of any suggestion.
1,200 WEAK BRIDGES ON PRIORITY LISTS.
IT was stated by the Minister of Transport that the number of weak bridges contained in the priority lists prepared by the Highway Authorities after conferences with the other interests concerned was about 1,200. The five-year programmes already submitted provided PIT the reconstruction of 357 weak bridges to be commenced in the current financial year. He hoped that within the period of the five-year programme it would be possible todeal with the remainder of the bridges on the priority lists.
He had approved proposals dealing with road improvement schemes to be put in hand during the current financial year at a cost of over R:9,000,000, which compared with £4,000,000 for the corresponding period last year.
GRANT FOR STRAND CROSSING FROM WATERLOO BRIDGE?
iT was suggested by Mr. Simmonds that the Minister should draw the attention of the London County Council to the necessity of a subway or bridge, to carry across the Strand, traffic northbound from the new Waterloo Bridge. He also asked if the Government would be prepared to make a contribution from the Road Fund towards the cost of this work.
Mr. Hore-Belisha said he was conscious of the importance of the matte:r, and any application from the London County Council for a grant from the Road Fund towards the cost of any such scheme would receive his most careful attention.